Storming Snowcloud
by warriorfreak
Summary: Rainpaw will do anything without being told. When she finds out that her parantage isn't what she thinks it is, she runs away from ThunderClan, only to find a terribe threat that lives beyond the lake, that seeks dark revenge. C 2008 warriorfreak
1. Chapter 1

**Here it is! Check out my first story, The Twoleg of the Clans. I finished it, and it is good.**

_**Prologue **_

_ShadowClan warriors raced back and forth in the ThunderClan camp. Cats battled furiously._

_A ShadowClan warrior raced over to a tabby tom, Brackenfur. His fangs flew into his throat and he collapsed onto the ground._

_"NO!" Sorreltail raced over to her mate. Brackenfur lay unmoving in the sand._

_His eyes flew open and he blinked up at Sorreltail._

_"Storm and snow, the small, must help the large, or all the Clans will be destroyed." He gave a jerk and was still._

_OoOoO_

_The nursery was silent, only one cat lay in the den, her sides heaved as she fought for breath. A WindClan warrior crouched beside her. "You'll be fine Leafpool," He whispered._

_"Crowfeather," Leafpool rasped. A tiny silver body squeaked when it smelled the milk. Crowfeather leaped forward and began to lick it to warm it up. Another one came, this time red and finally a tiny smoky gray one, with white paws, that was mottled with silver blue spots._

_"Streamkit, Sunkit, and Rainkit," Leafpool decided, laying her tail gently on each kit's back._

_"Your kits!" Crowfeather exclaimed. Suddenly there was a shriek of terror from outside and he rushed out, leaving Leafpool all alone in the warm nursery._

_Suddenly a big red tom cat lumbered in. Leafpool yowled in terror, trying to shield her kits from the big claws. He slashed at Streamkit and blood trickled from the tiny cat's neck._

_The ShadowClan warrior's claws slashed onto Sunkit, and she bled two. One of the toms claws sliced over Rainkit's left eye, and then he lumbered out._

_Leafpool wailed and she nudged Streamkit and Sunkit. They were dead. Only Rainkit was alive, but she barely breathed._

_A tortoiseshell she cat entered the nursery. Her claws tore into Leafpool's throat, and she left._

_The last thing Leafpool saw was Rainkit. "Live on, young one," She whispered, and died._

**That was only the prologue and I know it was awful. But chapter one will hopefully be better. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own warriors, but I do own Rainpaw, Moonpaw, Ravenpaw, Stone, and tons of minor characters.**

**WindClan**

**Leader-Onestar**

**Deputy-Ashfoot**

**  
Medicine cat-Sharpfang**

**Warriors- Crowfeather**

** Owlfur**

**Apprentice, Blackpaw**

** Weaselfur**

** Chaffinchfur**

**Apprentice, Rainpaw**

** Tortoisepelt**

** Flowermask**

**Apprentice, Frecklepaw**

**Woodheart Apprentice, Puddlepaw**

**Apprentices- Blackpaw**

** Frecklepaw**

** Puddlepaw**

** Rainpaw**

**Queens- Cloudfish**

**Elders- Webfoot**

** Tornear**

** Nightcloud**

Rainkit looked out of nursery at the busy camp. The medicine cat, Skyflower was calling to her apprentice, Moonpaw, and the deputy, Brambleclaw, was organizing patrols.

"Rainkit, get back in the nursery!" Whitenose, her mother, called her back.

"No," Rainkit meowed. "I wont," Why should she?

Rainkit made her way over to the medicine cats den. She had never explored this part of camp before.

Rainkit's brothers, Treekit and Grasskit were scuffling nearby. Rainkit made at face at them as she passed.

Skyflower gave her a look. "What are you doing here?" She asked. "Go back in the nursery."

"Make me," Rainkit replied. She strolled easily into the den.

"Be nice to her," Moonpaw purred, "What would you like Rainkit?"

"None of your business," Rainkit told her.

The two medicine cats turned away.

_Good,_ Thought Rainkit. She pulled down a clump of herbs and popped them in her mouth.

She pulled some bright scarlet berries off a stick and stuffed them into her mouth. She began chewing. She toke a big swallow and left the den. "Thanks!" She called over her shoulder.

"Did you eat something?" Moonpaw called after her.

Rainkit strolled over to the nursery. Suddenly a cramp seized her belly.

"Ow!" she cried. She felt really sick. Slowly, her sight blocked out and she fell down, unconscious.

OoOoO

"Skyflower!" Moonpaw yowled in shock. "Rainkit ate something!"

Skyflower hurried over to there herb supply. "Great StarClan! She ate Deathberries!"

Moonpaw tried not to panic. "We need to get it out of her!" She exclained.

Skyflower dove on a clump of yarrow. "Get poppy seeds if she is in pain," She told Moonpaw.

Moonpaw whisked a poppy head off the wall and hurried out. Rainkit lay squirming in the middle of the clearing, her legs thrashing, letting out high pitched yowls of terror.

Skyflower fed her some yarrow and the kit threw up.

Moonpaw placed some poppy seeds in Rainkit's mouth. Soon the kit stopped thrashing and lay still.

"She'll live," Skyflower reported, carrying the kit back to the nursery.

"We need more borage," Skyflower told Moonpaw when she was finished. "Will you fetch some?"

"Sure," The medicine cat apprentice hurried out of the camp.

She was near the ShadowClan border. She looked over into the pine trees.

Suddenly a sleek black cat crashed over to her.

"What are you doing on ThunderClan territory?" Moonpaw hissed.

"My name is Ravenpaw, and I am a ShadowClan apprentice. I need to tell your leader something."

"What do you want to tell him?"

"Applecloud is having kits."

"So?"

"She said Birchheart is the father."

"What?" Moonpaw toke a step back in her shock. "But Birchheart is a ThunderClan cat!"

"Exactly."

Moonpaw nodded slowly. "All right, I'll tell Firestar."

"Thank you,"

Moonpaw raced down the path back to camp. That had been quite an adventure.

Moonpaw entered the camp slowly.

"Firestar!" she called.

Moonpaw was a sleek black she cat with a white chest and paws. She was the daughter of Cloudtail and Daisy, who was a horseplace cat.

"Moonpaw? What is it?"

"I have a message from ShadowClan. Applecloud is having kits, and she said there father is Birchheart."

"Great StarClan!" Firestar tumbled off the Highrock and rushed over to Brambleclaw and Birchheart were eating nearby.

Moonpaw, realizing she wasn't needed anymore padded over to the medicine cats den.

Only then did she realize she had forgotten the borage.

The reason why hit her, a cold chill of shock crept down the entire length of her body. She had been to intent on the ShadowClan apprentice!

**Well, there's chapter 1. Incase you were wondering, Ravenpaw isn't the same one in the real books, and he is my OWN CHARACTER! You can not steal him from me. **


	3. The Past

**I am going to split each chapter between Moonpaw and Rainpaw. If you don't like that then you can just x it out. Oh, and in this chapter Rainpaw is already an apprentice.**

_**Chapter 2**_

Rainpaw turned her head from where she was sharing a vole with Treepaw to see a smoky black tom enter the camp. His sent was unfamiliar.

_He looks just like me!_ She realized.Rainpaw stood up and stalked over to him.

"What are you doing here?" She snarled.

"Greetings," he said. "My name is Crowfeather. I am a WindClan warrior."

There was something strange in his eyes as he looked at Rainpaw.

"What do you want?" Rainpaw growled.

"Will you show me to Firestar's den? I must speak with him privately."

_All Riiiight! _Rainpaw thought. She loved eavesdropping.

She led Crowfeather over to Firestar's den on the Highledge then sneaked behind it. She could just make out the sound of there voices threw the brambles.

"I have something important to tell you," Crowfeather began.

"You know that I loved Leafpool. But I never told anybody that seasons later, she had kits. _My_ kits. There were three of them. It was on the night ShadowClan attacked, and WindClan and ThunderClan joined together to fight them. I was in the nursery with Leafpool when they where born. I left, and a ShadowClan cat came into the nursery and killed two of the kits. Another killed Leafpool. Firestar, I feel it is my fault that Leafpool died, and I came to apologize."

"Wait a minute," Firestar meowed. "What are these kits names?"

Crowfeather paused, and Rainpaw heard him take a sharp intake of breath. "Streamkit, Sunkit…and…and… Rainkit."

OoOoO

Moonpaw hunted along the ShadowClan border for herbs with Skyflower.

Moonpaw glanced over the border and into the pine trees. Her tail shot up, and she brushed her flank against a tree.

"Moonpaw! Why are you glancing over there all the time? Did you here me? I asked if you had found any Dandelions yet!"

"Sorry Skyflower," Moonpaw mumbled. She risked a glance over the border again, and caught sight of a lithe black shape chasing after a squirrel. _Ravenpaw! _He leaped, and pulled the squirrel to the ground.

Moonpaw longed to call out and congratulate him, but she knew that she could never do that with Skyflower in earshot. Instead, she forced herself to crouch down and dig for the root of the burdock she had found.

She stood up with her jaws crammed with the roots.

"You go on ahead," she told Skyflower.

She waited until the medicine cat was out of sight before she loped across the border.

Ravenpaw turned his head. "Moonpaw!" he exclaimed. He looked embarrassed. "Er-hi." He looked down at his paws and shuffled them nervously.

Moonpaw felt self-conscious. A hot flush spread through her fur, making her paws tingle. "Uh… good job on catching that squirrel."

Ravenpaw turned around. "You better go before a patrol spots you."

He sounded as if he rather she wouldn't go, but he didn't say it.

Moonpaw scampered back over the border and dashed after Skyflower. She could feel the gaze of the black cat scorching her fur all the way.

OoOoO

Rainpaw stopped, stiff with shock. No, it couldn't be true. She forced her self to stop and listen to what Firestar said.

"You mean Rainpaw is your daughter?" he asked, blinking in shock. "Our Rainpaw?"

Crowfeather nodded and swallowed. "Yes."

Rainpaw had heard enough. She stumbled away from the Highledge and into the camp. She stared around at her Clanmates. Or were they her Clanmates? If Crowfeather was her father then she would be part WindClan.

And Leafpool? If she was Rainpaw's mother then Firestar would be her Grandfather.

Wait. Leafpool was a _medicine cat! _She couldn't fall in love, never mind have kits. That meant Rainpaw had bad blood.

She looked at Treepaw. He wasn't her brother anymore. He was the son of Whitenose and Birchheart, Rainpaw's former parents. That explained why Whitenose was nicer to Treepaw and Grasspaw. Rainpaw was smoky gray, but her brothers were both white. Of course Whitenose thought that Rainpaw came from somewhere else.

_Oh StarClan!_ She wailed silently._ I don't know what to do!_

**That's the end of the second chapter. How do you like Moonpaw and Ravenpaw? Yipeeeeeee! I love writing! **


	4. Scolding

_**Chapter 3, scolding **_

Rainpaw huddled next to Grasspaw in the apprentices den. A freezing wind whipped through the clearing, buffeting her fur. She shivered.

She waited, without sleeping as the sun rose.

As soon as light crept over the horizon, she pulled herself out of the den. The tabby warrior Swallowcloud was already up, sitting with his sister Greytail. Firestar appeared from the Highledge.

Soon the camp was full of cats. Rainpaw trotted over to the fresh kill pile and toke a mouse. She noticed Firestar was staring at her intently. Pretending not to know anything at all about her strange parentage Rainpaw forced herself to take a bite of mouse. She would hunt today, she decided.

She couldn't help but watch Firestar sniff around the Highledge. His nose crossed the place where she had been hiding. A moment later he raised his head and looked her right in the eye.

Rainpaw continued eating her mouse, trying to hide her panic. She was positive Firestar had sniffed her out.

She finished the mouse and trotted over to Cloudtail and Sorreltail who were about to go hunting.

OoOoO

Rainpaw trotted back into the camp with a mouse and a shrew in her jaws. She dropped them on the fresh kill pile. She picked out a pigeon and walked over to Moonpaw who was eating a squirrel. She was staring off into the distance.

"What's wrong?" Rainpaw asked her.

Moonpaw jumped. "Nothing."

"Don't lie to me," Rainpaw snapped. "Something is wrong."

"It's none of your business," Moonpaw snarled.

Rainpaw decided to change the subject. "You don't like me, don't you?" She asked.

"Of course I like you," Moonpaw snapped.

"Moonpaw," Rainpaw ventured, "I don't think my parents are Whitenose and Birchheart."

"What?" Moonpaw gasped, sitting up strait and swiveling her gaze to Rainpaw.

Rainpaw leaned over and whispered what she had heard Crowfeather tell Firestar.

Moonpaw glared at her. "You little liar! I won't believe a practical joke like that!"

Rainpaw gasped. She had thought that _Moonpaw _ofall cats would believe her.

Rainpaw turned away. _There must be something on her mind._ She thought.

Finishing the pigeon, she walked over to the apprentices den. But before she got there but Firestar called her back. Rainpaw froze.

"Come to my den. Now." His voice was stiff with anger. Rainpaw followed him miserably over to the Highledge and crawled inside his den.

"I am very disappointed in your hunting this day," He scolded.

Rainpaw tried to hide her shock. Firestar was scolding her for hunting! He had never done that before!

"A mouse a shrew wouldn't feed one cat!" his voice was full of contempt. "I am very disappointed in you! Very!"

Rainpaw felt her claws sink into the moss. She knew that hunting wasn't the real reason that Firestar was scolding her.

"Go know!" he snapped and Rainpaw hurried over to the apprentices den.

Why had Firestar scolded her?

What if he had been trying to tell her that he knew she had eavesdropped on him and Crowfeather? Was he trying to scold her for that by criticizing her hunting work?

OoOoO

Rainpaw woke the next morning, still worried about Firestar. She left the den in a hurry. All the Clan was already up.

Firestar was walking over to her with a scowl on his face.

"You were late getting up!" he scolded. "Extra hunting for you today! And bring back better food!"

Rainpaw dragged her paws as she walked slowly over to Squirrelflight and Spiderleg who were eating nearby.

OoOoO

Rainpaw came back that evening with a small rabbit. She half-hoped that Firestar would be pleased, but she didn't really care. Her life would go on like this forever- Firestar scolding her on whatever she did. She was so miserable that she stumbled into a patch of nettles, but was too unhappy to notice the stings. She went into the apprentices den and fell asleep without eating anything.

OoOoO

Rainpaw woke around midnight. The air in the apprentices den felt hot and stuffy, so she went outside for a fresh breath of air.

Outside the camp it was silent. Rainpaw sat below the trees for a minute.

"What are you doing here?" snapped a voice behind her. Rainpaw turned around and found herself face to face with Firestar.

"I want you to go back to the den! Back!" he shouted.

"I was just getting a breath of fresh air!" Rainpaw snarled loudly, matching her leader's angry tone.

"Go back!" He spat.

"No!" Rainpaw shouted. Anger flared in Firestar's eyes and he launched himself across the ground at her. Rainpaw whipped around and started to run. She ran on and on, until she knew that Firestar was gone, but still she ran.

Rainpaw stopped finally. She was in the middle of WindClan territory. _How did I get here?_ She wondered.

Suddenly a smoky black tom appeared over the rise. Crowfeather!

It was Rainpaw's father!

Rainpaw ran up to him.

"Why are you here?" he asked her.

"Firestar chased me. He's been mad at me! I heard what you told him! I'm so sorry!"

Crowfeather stiffened for a moment. Then he relaxed. "I thought you might," he mewed. "I knew it wouldn't be easy to keep a secret."

Rainpaw nodded. "What can I do? I don't want to go to ThunderClan. _Nobody_ is nice to me there, and I quarreled with Moonpaw."

"You could come with me to WindClan." He meowed.

"Oh yes!" Rainpaw exclaimed. "Show me the way, Crowfeather!"

Crowfeather stood up and bounded across the moor. Rainpaw followed, her long legs moving quickly as she sprinted away.

Crowfeather stopped when they reached a small valley. He plunged down, and Rainpaw followed.

The camp was shaded nicely by bushes, and thick tussocks of gorse lined the edges, Rainpaw assumed they were dens.

Crowfeather led her inside a small crack in the side of the camp, and slipped in.

Onestar stirred and raised his head when they approached.

"There is a ThunderClan cat in here!" he snarled.

"Calm down Onestar," Crowfeather meowed. "I have much to explain."

Onestar settled down on his moss. "Lets here it then," he meowed.

**Review please!**


	5. Finding a threat

_**Chapter 4, finding a threat**_

Onestar gave a long nod after Crowfeather had told him about Rainpaw's parentage.

"Yes…she can join WindClan." He murmured.

"Thank you Onestar! Rainpaw exclaimed. She gave her leaders ears a quick lick and hurried out after Crowfeather.

"Where is the apprentices den?" Rainpaw asked.

"Over there," Crowfeather flicked his tail at a small bramble bush. Rainpaw crawled inside.

There were already three sleeping mounds of fur in a corner. Rainpaw settled down opposite them and fell asleep.

_Silverstream padded up to Rainpaw._

_"Storm and snow, the small, must join together with the large, or all the Clans will be destroyed."_

_"What are you talking about?" Rainpaw snarled. "If you can't say anything with a meaning, then shut up!" She hissed._

_Silverstream didn't notice the sting in Rainpaw's words. She walked away, then turned back._

_"The death of one will change you, Rainpaw. Pebbles falling off a cliff, will damage the heart of a single warrior. This cannot be changed, not by tooth or claw, for death is a fate that meets us all."_

Rainpaw woke up with a start. A cat was going to die!

She looked around. Three cats were staring at her blankly.

"Hi!" said a little grey she-cat with dark brown eyes. "My name is Blackpaw, and this is Frecklepaw and Puddlepaw."

Frecklepaw was an orange tom with brown flecks. Puddlepaw was a silver grey she-cat. She walked past Rainpaw as if she wasn't even there.

"My name is Rainpaw," Rainpaw growled.

"And you're a ThunderClan cat," Frecklepaw finished in a snarl.

"How did you know?" Rainpaw asked.

"Onestar called a meeting earlier, and told us. You slept right through it. ThunderClan is so lazy!" Frecklepaw sneered.

Rainpaw knew that wasn't true. She had slept late because she had had a hard night last night. She remembered Firestar lunging at her with outstretched claws, and she shuddered.

"What's the matter?" Frecklepaw sneered with a smirk. "Did you get afraid of a mouse?"

Rainpaw growled. She lowered herself onto the ground.

"You smell like a fat, lazy ThunderClan cat," he went on. "If you had to run across a moor you would get so tired that you'd-," He broke off as Rainpaw leapt on him and pinned him down.

Planting a paw on his neck, Rainpaw hissed in his ear.

"You insult me one more time and you'll get it for good."

Her claws raked down Frecklepaw's face, and he whimpered in pain, and scrambled out of the den, his tail between his legs.

"Rainpaw we could-," Blackpaw began, but Rainpaw hissed at her. She was not the friendliest cat in the world.

Blackpaw backed out of the den, her ears flat against her head.

Rainpaw looked at her legs. They were especially long. They were even a little longer the Onestar's, and he had pretty long legs.

Rainpaw slid out of the small den. She scampered over to Onestar, who was sitting on a stump, looking out at the Clan already gathered around him. Rainpaw sat with other apprentices, with Frecklepaw slinking away from her. Never again would he bother her.

"As I have said before we have a new cat in our Clan. She used to be a ThunderClan cat, but now she will be an apprentice of WindClan. She will need a mentor. Chaffinchfur, you are ready for your first apprentice, and you will be the mentor to Rainpaw. Crowfeather was your mentor, and I hope you pass on all the skills he taught you to Rainpaw."

Rainpaw walked foreword and touched her nose to Chaffinchfur. He was a grayish ginger tabby tom, with big blue eyes.

Rainpaw walked back and sat down again. Frecklepaw gave a whimper of terror and tore over to another cat.

Chaffinchfur walked up to her. "We can train in a minute. Let me just wash and eat," he walked over to the fresh-kill pile and toke a rabbit. He ate it in slow, hungry bites.

Blackpaw, Frecklepaw and Puddlepaw left with their mentors. A young she cat came over to Chaffinchfur and they started talking.

Rainpaw thumped her tail. He was taking a really long time. She looked back. He was in a deep conversation with the pretty she-cat. he seemed to have forgotten about Rainpaw.

Rainpaw scuffed her paws in the dirt. She made a lot of noise, scratching her claws on wood and meowing loudly. Chaffinchfur didn't even flick an ear, of twitch his tail like he had heard her.

Rainpaw had had enough. She walked out of the camp and onto the moorland.

The cool air brushed against her pelt, making it ripple. She began to run, and run, and run. Finally she stopped when the land got rocky, and looked around. There was no sent of WindClan.

It was steep and cold. Rainpaw began to climb up some rocks when she stopped. She had heard voices.

She looked down. In a small rocky valley there was some kind of creature. A dog? No, it was too big to be a dog. It was a wolf!

It was in some sort of Clan. Rainpaw scrambled down, and hid in the bushes that lined the camp. Inside, two wolves were arguing.

"Lupin, it got worse. They eat mice!"

"Star, I already told you that all animals eat. Even Leaper and Hunter know that."

The first voice spoke again, a male. "Jumper told me that Luna had smelled a marker. They want our territory!"

Rainpaw listened in shock silence. She had found another clan…of wolves, but what were they talking about?

"Cats could be our prey!" Lupin argued. The voice was a she-wolfs.

Rainpaw froze. The Clans were in danger. It was time to announce her arrival.

She slid out from underneath the bush. No one saw her. She slid past in the shadows, and then walked into the clearing.

The gazes of Lupin and Star fell upon her at once. The clearing fell silent.

Lupin's eyes blazed with anger, then the look of, prey-at-last, filled the green depths.

Rainpaw sat up taller, drew back he lips, and snarled loudly.

Star stood up and walked slowly over to her.

When he reached her he expected her to lower her tail, draw back her ears and lower her head, showing him he was boss.

Instead, Rainpaw arched her back, the fur along her spine rising. Her tail shot in the air and she raised her head to meet his bright blue gaze. She growled.

Stars eyes flared with anger.

"Who are you?" he growled.

"I am Rainpaw. I am a cat."

Star growled. "Do you wish to harm us?"

Rainpaw gave a dry laugh. "Do I look like it?" she scoffed, "I can't take you all on. What kind of mousebrain are you?"

Star toke a few paces forward. He copied her position; it meant he wanted a fight.

Rainpaw tried to hide her panic. She had gone too far. She had got her self a fight. Why had she wanted to show she was there? That was just plain stupid.

She was no mach against the long-legged wolf in front of her. Muscles etched his sides, his teeth were like knives.

A small tan she-wolf named Luna walked up to her pack leader. A white pup was at her heels.

"Star, the cats patrol there borders," she reported. "There is a pack of them that are very fast."

"WindClan!" Rainpaw exclaimed aloud. "Don't hurt us; we only want to live our lives in peace. We do not want to harm your Clan!"

"Pack!" Star corrected her with a snarl.

The pup behind Luna walked foreword.

"Get back Stone!" Star snapped at him. Stone did not move.

Star whirled around on the pup with his teeth bared. Stone bared his teeth right back. They both stood there growling.

Rainpaw saw her chance. She bolted. There was a cry of shock from Lupin and Rainpaw looked back.

Stone winked at her.

The wink said it all. He had planned to occupy Star and give her time to go.

A wolf had helped her!

Those words echoed through her head all the way back to camp. Oh, she had a story to tell the cats at home!

OoOoO

Moonpaw walked with the rest of the cats to a gathering. This would be her first one in her life, and she was excited!

She walked across the fallen pine tree onto the island, where RiverClan and ShadowClan were already waiting.

Her gaze scanned the clearing for a single cat. Ravenpaw. There he was talking to Tortoiseshellpaw, a ShadowClan she cat.

Strange jealously raged through Moonpaw. She stalked over to Ravenpaw and Tortoiseshellpaw.

"Go," she snapped at Tortoiseshellpaw.

The tortoiseshell she cat gave her an annoyed glare, then stalked off.

"So that's the she cat you have in mind?" Moonpaw asked Ravenpaw harshly.

"I like her." Ravenpaw told her. "A lot. Better then I like you."

"Really!" Moonpaw exclaimed. "I guess I can walk out of your life then!" she stalked away.

There was a slight rustling in the bushes behind her. Rainpaw came out.

"Rainpaw! The whole Clan wondered where you were!" Moonpaw exclaimed.

Rainpaw let out a low growl. "WindClan is my Clan now," She growled quietly.

Moonpaw nodded. "You must have not liked ThunderClan," she commented.

"Especially the way you acted," Rainpaw mewed quickly. "All because of Ravenpaw and I know you like him-,"

She broke off when Moonpaw snapped, "I should think not! Ravenpaw hates me! And I don't care!"

Moonpaw walked away from Rainpaw. She looked up when there was a yowl from the tree.

"Come on!" Firestar snapped at Onestar. Mistystar and Russetstar were already in the tree with Firestar.

Onestar jumped up. The cats below quieted down.

Firestar spoke first. "Rainpaw, one of our apprentices ran away. Do any of you know where she is?"

"She went to join WindClan." Onestar said.

"Oh." Firestar was silent a long time. He seemed to be really thinking about something.

Onestar continued speaking. "We think that there are dogs beyond our territory. Not a threat to us."

"Mousebrain!" Firestar spat at him. "Dogs are always a problem. They attacked ThunderClan once. We almost died!"

Onestar launched himself at Firestar, who was on the branch below him.

A thick cloud covered the moon. Cats gasped as they looked up. The gathering was going to be over.

Leaders leapt down off the tree. There Clans followed in silence.

Ravenpaw wandered up to Moonpaw. "Sorry, I didn't mean what I said. I was just mad that you had told Tortoiseshellpaw to go away."

"I forgive you," Moonpaw meowed. She pressed her face against his. "I have to go now."

"I know," Ravenpaw turned away, and Moonpaw watched him vanish into the night.

**_R&R!_**


	6. The cliff

**_Chapter 5, the cliff_**

"You finally pounce, and the mouse is yours," Chaffinchfur instructed Rainpaw one day at training.

Rainpaw was turning into an excellent hunter. She had already caught two shrews and a rabbit, and Chaffinchfur was showing her how to catch mice. Rainpaw had never understood how to catch the little furry creatures.

"That's enough for to day I think," Chaffinchfur said, shaking dust out of his fur.

Crowfeather entered the little clearing.

"Come on, Rainpaw, Chaffinchfur, Ashfoot wants you for a patrol."

Chaffinchfur glared at her father, there was clearly some sort of squabble going on between them.

Rainpaw, her mentor and her father climbed over the rise and met up with Ashfoot, Owlfur, Blackpaw and Weaselfur.

"Patrol time," Ashfoot said cheerily. She led the small band of cats down a slope.

Rainpaw's pelt prickled as she walked down the slope. She looked over at the distant rocks. Wolfs were out there. What were they doing? What was Star and Lupin planning to do to the cats?

"We're their prey," She murmured.

"What did you say?" Chaffinchfur asked softly from behind her.

Rainpaw whirled around, drawing her ears back. "If I had wanted you to know I would have told you!" she spat.

Chaffinchfur looked clearly shocked. "Sorry, I just thought-,"

"I don't care what you thought!" Rainpaw snarled. "I want you out of my fur!"

She turned around and bounded down the slope, ahead of the rest of the patrol.

She ran faster, her mind filled with angry thoughts.

The rocks came closer and closer.

There was a sheer cliff edge in front of her. Rainpaw skidded to a stop. She slipped off the edge of the cliff.

Her hind legs flew off the edge. Her claws went out, and she deg them into the ground.

Curiosity made her look down. Many fox lengths below her was the wolf camp.

A gray wolf with a silver muzzle looked up.

Rainpaw froze in terror.

Her front paws had lost their holding.

There was only one thing left for Rainpaw.

Death.

OoOoO

Moonpaw slowly walked along the WindClan border. There was a small patrol of cats making their way down a rise. They were really running.

She already had several bundles of herbs in her mouth, so she turned back to the camp.

The camp was full of activity. Grasspaw was grumpily searching the elders, Sandstorm and Dustpelt, pelts for ticks. Cloudtail was giving a piece of prey a sniff.

"Firestar!" he called. "This rabbit has a faint smell of dog to it!"

Firestar walked into his den without any sign of knowing what Cloudtail had said.

"What's wrong with him?" Cloudtail asked his daughter.

"I can think of two reasons," Moonpaw meowed. "One, that he is terrified of the dog pack coming back, and two, he is getting old."

"Firestar is getting old?" Cloudtail meowed in shock.

"Yes, Dustpelt and Sandstorm have been elders for a long time, and their older then him."

"But he has nine lives…" Cloudtail whined.

"Nine lives aren't everything. Firestar is on his last you know."

Cloudtail looked worried. "I could-," he began but he was interrupted by Firestar leaping onto the Highledge.

The cats began to gather around.

"This meeting is called because I have planned to attack WindClan. I just visited RiverClan, who are also angry at Onestar not taking the problem of dogs in his territory seriously."

Meows of shock and outrage followed his words. But the Clan knew they could never disobey their leaders order.

"When will we attack?" Brambleclaw asked.

"In one moon," Firestar answered, "At night."

The cats crawled away, shaking. Soon there would be deaths, and horrible ones at that.

OoOoO

Rainpaw thrashed her front paws out and they hooked onto the slick surface of the rock. She slipped, and she dug her claws in farther.

The patrol was racing forward. Chaffinchfur and Blackpaw were both running, trying to catch her.

Blackpaw got to the edge of the cliff first. She bent down, and hooked Rainpaw into her teeth and began to haul her up.

Rainpaw felt the grip of Blackpaw's teeth on her scruff. A moment later she was lying on the ground.

Chaffinchfur raced at Blackpaw and knocked her to the side. Then he grabbed Rainpaw's scruff then let go of it. It made no sense.

The rest of the patrol came racing over.

"I saved her!" Chaffinchfur gasped, acting tired and out of breath. "I saved her! I really did!" he collapsed to the ground and lay there, pretending to be gasping for breath.

Rainpaw didn't have enough energy to explain what had really happened. She slowly let her gaze travel over Chaffinchfur, then…

"Blackpaw!" Weaselfur cried. "What happened to her?"

Blackpaw was lying motionless in the sand.

That sight made Rainpaw sit up. She never thought she could have such a strong feeling of friendship for another cat, but she did.

"Are you alright?" Rainpaw mewed, looking into her eyes.

Blackpaw sat up and blinked.

"Were you dead?" Rainpaw asked. (AN: I wanted Rainpaw to say something really stupid.)

"Just stunned. Why did Chaffinchfur push me aside?"

"He wanted to make me think he had saved me so I would think he is a real hero and like him. A lot."

The words poured out of Rainpaw's mouth and she didn't know how she knew why Chaffinchfur had done that. She just did.

"Thanks for saving my life," Rainpaw meowed.

"Will you be my friend?" Blackpaw asked.

Rainpaw was silent for a long time. "Yes." She finally answered.

Blackpaw grinned. "Thanks," she meowed.

**Battle in the next chapter! I made Rainpaw a lot like Squirrelflight because:**

**1, I like Squirrelflight a lot.**

**2, the name "Rain" seems sassy to me.**

**3, it would rock.**

**Anyway…_R&R!_**


	7. Battle

_**Chapter 6, the fight**_

Rainpaw and Blackpaw soon became friends. _Good_ friends.

Anytime it looked like Rainpaw was in danger, Blackpaw would dash in and save her. Anytime it looked like Blackpaw was in danger, Rainpaw would dash in and save _her_. They would risk their lives for each other.

It was one moon since Rainpaw had fallen off the cliff. Chaffinchfur was teaching Rainpaw how to fight.

Chaffinchfur strode over to her. "Training! We'll do fighting today. Your little flipping over trick won't win over me today."

Rainpaw growled very faintly in her throat. She knew that Chaffinchfur thought she thought that he had saved her on the cliff. He was trying to make Rainpaw adore him.

Rainpaw gave Blackpaw's ear a quick lick. For a WindClan cat, Blackpaw had unusually short legs. Rainpaw's legs were even longer then they were before, and most cats were shorter then her.

Rainpaw raced to catch up with Chaffinchfur, who was already climbing down the rise. She was with him in the little clearing in a heartbeat.

He faced her, crouching down in the sand. Rainpaw copied his position, drawing her ears back and hissing at him.

She leaped across the ground and onto his back. Her claws scratched his flank, but he rolled over. Slowly. Chaffinchfur was not a good fighter.

Rainpaw was crushed underneath him. She slipped her legs under his back and kicked him halfway across the clearing. She sprang to her paws and in a flash had him flipped over and trapped beneath her paws.

"Good," Chaffinchfur coughed on a mouthful of sand. "You will be a warrior soon. That will be enough for today, I think." He was clearly disappointed that he had lost the tussle so easily.

Rainpaw raced ahead of him back to camp. The sun was setting, and most cats were sliding off to bed. Rainpaw walked over to the fresh-kill pile. There was nothing left.

Deciding she wasn't hungry, Rainpaw walked over to the apprentices den and fell asleep.

OoOoO

Rainpaw awoke with a start. She rushed into the camp. What was that? A shadow. A slinking shadow. A snap, a whisper, a mew. The whole of ThunderClan poured into the camp.

"ThunderClan warriors!" Rainpaw yowled.

The WindClan cats pulled themselves out of the dens. In a screeching fury Onestar and Ashfoot raced at Rainwhisker and Spiderleg. Flowermask and Woodheart, to young warriors, leapt onto Squirrelflight, and Crowfeather and Brambleclaw were a tight knot of black and brown fur.

Rainpaw caught sight of Firestar sitting with Sorreltail at the edge of the camp. She could see where they were going to attack-an elderly queen with a swollen stomach.

With a screech of fury Rainpaw leaped over the heads of many fighting cats. The jump was a long one, but Rainpaw landed right on Firestar's flank.

Firestar's eyes flashed with anger. He gave a yowl-a calling yowl, and RiverClan cats rushed into the already crowded clearing.

Giving Firestar a scratch to the neck, Rainpaw sprang off him and onto a RiverClan tom. His claws raked her flank and she twisted quickly to avoid a bite to the shoulder.

She bit his ear, wishing she hadn't leapt on such a hard cat to battle. She felt his teeth sink into her hind leg, and she yelped in pain. In a heartbeat she scratched his shoulder and scrambled away, vanishing into the battle.

A scrawny calico raced up to her. Rainpaw reared up on her hind legs, her claws slashing the calico's face. She seemed not to notice, scratching Rainpaw's shoulder and then biting it. Blood trickled down her foreleg.

They both leapt at each other. Rainpaw's claws slashed her chest, but the calico's teeth chinked right behind her left eye.

The pain was torturous. Blood trickled down Rainpaw's cheek. With a furious screech Rainpaw bit the calico's throat, but it did not kill the cat. The calico stood up and raced out of the camp screeching "Bloody murder!"

Rainpaw stopped for a moment to catch her breath. She hurriedly liked her wounds then stood up to watch the battle and attack another cat.

Crowfeather and Brambleclaw were engaged in the fight of there lives. Owlfur and Cloudtail were wrestling equally.

Then it caught her eye. Chaffinchfur was struggling under two huge RiverClan toms.

Rainpaw leaped at one tom. She scratched it, and it scratched her belly and chest, and then sunk its teeth into her foreleg. Rainpaw flipped it over with speed, and drove her teeth into its throat, and it died.

Blackpaw dashed up to her and together they bit and scratched the other one, until it screeched and dashed into the night.

Rainpaw saw a dark shape emerge behind Blackpaw. There was a flash of scarlet blood and a shrill squeal, but Rainpaw saw no more as a tabby cat leapt on her and pinned her down. They wrestled for a moment until the tabby had enough and left. Rainpaw looked around. There was no sign of Blackpaw.

RiverClan had had enough. They fled, tails tucked beneath them.

That made ThunderClan angry. They plunged after the RiverClan warriors and were gone.

WindClan was a battered mess. Several cats gathered around Onestar. Owlfur lay panting on the ground. Crowfeather lay down on his side and closed his eyes. Woodheart and Flowermask were licking each other's wounds. Weaselfur and Ashfoot sat side by side, there eyes closed. Puddlepaw was dead. Frecklepaw was whimpering next to her body. Chaffinchfur and Tortoisepelt were talking quietly about the battle.

Rainpaw lay down on the blood stained ground. Her eyes traveled over the wounded cats and landed on Blackpaw.

Rainpaw stood up and walked over to her.Blackpaw lay on the ground, sides heaving as she fought for breath.

"Blackpaw?" Rainpaw whispered.

Blackpaw's eyes flew open. Her eyes stared right at Rainpaw.

Her voice was a ragged whisper. "I…thank you…for being…my…friend."

Rainpaw just listened in silence. She crouched by the black cat, her amber eyes staring at her face.

"I will remember you, when I am in StarClan. Good…bye."

Her head fell back and her eyes closed. The air left her lungs and she was still.

Blackpaw was dead.

Dead.

Oh.

**I killed off Blackpaw! Sorry for the bore of her dying words. **


	8. Dream

_**Chapter 7, empty victory**_

The body of Blackpaw was dragged away to be buried the next morning. Rainpaw helped dig the grave.

Rainpaw walked away finally, after her friend was covered.

Onestar jumped onto a stump. Rain was falling heavily on the ground. Rainpaw glanced back at Blackpaw's grave. There were a few paw marks on it, where Rainpaw had just walked. The earth was freshly turned.

Rainpaw looked at the grave a long time. She broke her gaze and dashed into the camp, where all the cats had gathered around Onestar on the stump.

"It is time for Rainpaw to be made a warrior," he said. Rainpaw could hardly see him through the driving rain. There was no stir of excitement through the crowd. Blackpaw and Puddlepaw were dead, and the Clan was terribly scared.

Onestar raised his voice. "StarClan, it is time for an apprentice to become a warrior. I call upon you to listen and approve of my choice of name. Rainpaw will protect this Clan with the cost of her life; therefore she will now be named Rainfeather. We honor her for speed, and agility, and she is now a full WindClan member."

"Also," said Onestar softly, and his voice wavered with grief. "If Blackpaw had been alive, she would have become a warrior too. Therefore I will name her Blackhawk, and let us remember her as a warrior, in StarClan."

There was no cheering for either warrior in the crowd. The Clan was an unhappy mess, and nothing could make then smile again.

Rainfeather slipped out of camp, and raced across the wet moor, and onto the rocks. She avoided the cliff, and scrambled down to the wolf camp. She stayed on the edge, watching until she knew that every wolf was in the den.

All but Stone.

Rainfeather slipped silently into the camp. Stone was just vanishing into the den. He turned back when Rainfeather called his name.

"Hi Rainpaw!" he called.

Rainfeather didn't stop for formal greetings. "Why did you let me go?" she demanded.

"I think that the cats are pretty cool. I never knew that another animal could live in a pack."

"We live in a Clan," Rainfeather corrected in a growl.

Stone looked nervous. He glanced around. "I know that I am betraying my pack but…Star and Lupin want to attack the cats."

"But we couldn't stand a chance against you guys!" Rainfeather exclaimed. "The wolves are way bigger and stronger then us!"

"I know. I don't think it's fair."

Rainfeather imagined lithe bodies being tossed in the air, huge teeth easily snapping a cat's neck, huge paws pounding into the peaceful camp, tearing cats apart… She shuddered.

"If they attack us, which side will you be on?" she asked Stone.

His eyes blazed with sudden anger. "I will fight for my pack of course!" he snarled. "No matter what I feel for the Clans, I will stay loyal to my pack!"

Rainfeather arched her back. "I better go," she decided. _Better do my best to avoid any kind of fight. _She thought.

She left the camp, and walked silently back to the WindClan camp. Little did she know that that whole time she had spoke to Stone, she had been watched, by a silent pair of eyes. The watcher slipped away when Rainfeather was gone, and vanished into the dreary wet forest.

OoOoO

Moonpaw followed her mentor to the Moonpool. Today she would get her full medicine cat name, because she had done excellently on healing the wounds of many cats after the battle with WindClan.

They reached the little pool. Littlecloud and his apprentice Nightfoot were already there. Mothwing and Willowflower were there too. So was Sharpfang, the grumpy and young medicine cat of WindClan.

The cats crouched down by the pool, and lapped up a few icy drops.

Everything around Moonpaw vanished in a swirl of blackness. She opened her eyes, and saw that a cat was approaching her. Spottedleaf.

"Hello," Said Moonpaw she dipped her head.

Spottedleaf stepped foreword. Her face was grim, and she did not smile or speak to Moonpaw.

Another cat stepped out from behind Spottedleaf. It was Onestar. He was covered in fresh wounds, and one side of his face was mangled beyond repair.

"What happened?" Moonpaw gasped in shock, unable to look at the dreadful sight.

"Moonpaw," said Spottedleaf, and her voice wasn't soft and kind as it usually was. "This is what happens to cats that venture to far from WindClan territory. There is a terrible threat over there, and they will attack The Clans…soon."

Spottedleaf and Onestar both faded into mist, leaving Moonpaw in a scary black forest.

"Spottedleaf!" she yowled in terror, wandering through the darkness. It was raining heavily, making it worse.

There was a terrible snarl from above her. Moonpaw looked up. Something was climbing onto a jutting rock.

A huge creature stood atop it now. It was bigger then a cat, or even a large dog. It was a pearly white, with broad, muscular shoulders. It looked like a dog, but it was much, much bigger, and its legs were much, much longer.

It turned its head to where Moonpaw crouched in terror, and Moonpaw saw that its eyes were red.

It drew back its lips and snarled, and its teeth were so big that it could eat a cat's head in one gulp.

It saw her.

With a terrified squeak Moonpaw turned tail and ran, crashing through the underbrush and falling over roots. She knew it would out run her, and she would be its prey.

She glanced around and was met by two rows of gaping jaws right in front of her face.

It was much, much to scary to be a dog.

Moonpaw let out a terrified scream.

It was a wolf.

**Yipes! A wolf! Any idea who it is? Not Stone, he is much smaller. Also, who was the one that watched Rainfeather and Stone? Please read and review!**


	9. Moonpaw's adventure

_**Chapter 8, Moonpaw's adventure**_

Moonpaw gave a terrified scream and whipped around. She shot up a tree, and lay there, shaking and trembling.

Slowly the dark forest vanished around her and Moonpaw lay at the Moonpool, her paws tucked under her.

The rest of the cats were already up, sitting and talking quietly.

"Finally!" Nightfoot meowed happily. "We've been up for ages!"

Moonpaw didn't answer.

Skyflower stepped to the front of the Moonpool and fixed her eyes on Silverpelt.

"I, Skyflower, medicine cat of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the way of a medicine cat, and with your help she will serve her Clan for many moons. Moonpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between Clan and Clan, and protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?"

Happiness pounded through every limb in Moonpaw's body. She almost forgot the terrifying dream in all her excitement.

"I do." Moonpaw said.

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your name as a medicine cat. Moonpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Moonhowl. We honor you for your courage and kindness."

"Moonhowl! Moonhowl! The other medicine cats sang.

Moonhowl purred her thanks to Skyflower and departed with the others. She glanced back down the slope.

At the edge of the Moonpool, with its red eyes glinting in the starlight, was the white wolf.

OoOoO

Moonhowl entered camp that night. The Clan was sleeping soundly.

She went to the medicine cats den and fell asleep.

She woke up when only the first streaks of dawn were painting the sky, and Moonhowl crept out and left the territory.

She entered WindClan territory. It was dark, and she crossed the moor easily.

The jagged rocks loomed out in front of her. Moonhowl toke a deep breath, and started out.

She was at the edge of some king of camp. There was a pile of snoring…Wolves!

Moonhowl almost fled in terror. Instead, she steadied herself, toke a deep breath, and walked into the clearing.

The snoring got a little quieter.

Moonhowl sniffed at a small white one.

She turned around. A white wolf lay with its head on the ground.

One eye opened.

Moonhowl froze.

The wolf shot up in a flash. She growled, and her white fur stuck straight up in the air.

Moonhowl whimpered, and backed away slowly. More wolves had stood up now and were advancing on the young medicine cat.

"Get out of our territory!" one snarled.

"I'll do that!" Moonhowl cried she turned around.

Lupin blocked her path.

"Let me just take a taste of your leg first." She growled.

Moonhowl whimpered and tried another way. Star blocked. "Let Lupin have her taste." He snarled.

Lupin was in front of her again. She drew back her lips.

Moonhowl scratched her muzzle. Blood spilled onto Lupin's pearly white fur.

Moonhowl jumped up and fled through a crack in the crowd. But Lupin jumped again, blood streaming from her muzzle, and her teeth sank into Moonhowl's hind leg.

Moonhowl turned around and gave Lupin a sharp bite on the muzzle.

She felt the white wolf's teeth release her leg and Moonhowl was out sprinting. She ran as far as she could away from the rocks, and sat panting in WindClan territory.

There was a soft patter of feet behind her and Moonhowl turned to see Rainfeather.

"You were with the wolves," Rainfeather said simply.

"How did you know?" Moonhowl asked.

"I am always there." She shrugged, looking uneasy. "Did you see Stone? Is he alright?"

"Who is Stone?"

"The small white one."

"Yeah, he was fine."

"Its good you got away when you did," Rainfeather commented.

"Why?" asked Moonhowl.

"They would have killed you. That's what they did to…uh…Onestar."

"They killed Onestar?" Moonhowl asked in shock.

"Yeah. He was watching me and Stone talk, and after I left he was still there and the wolves caught him. They didn't eat him though. They just really injured him and left him there to die."

"How do you know?"

"I was just there. I am _always_ there. I saw him and he told me what had happened. You better go. Oh- and I'm a warrior now. Rainfeather."

"And my name is Moonhowl." She called over her shoulder as she dashed out of WindClan territory.

But the more she thought about it, the more she realized that Rainfeather had been really into the wolves. She shivered. What if Rainfeather got so into the wolves that she got tired of the Clans and made the wolves attack them?

The wolves were not a good thing.

OoOoO

Rainfeather walked back to camp, where her Clanmates were grieving for Onestar.

Ashstar leaped on the stump. "It is time to pick the new deputy," she meowed. Her eyes sought out one smoky black warrior. "Rainfeather will be the new deputy of WindClan."

Rainfeather leapt to her paws with a yowl of protest. "I am way too young! Why would you pick me? Crowfeather is a much better choice!"

"I picked you because you are a strong, trustworthy warrior. You are much like you father, but I see more in you then I do in him-No offense Crowfeather- I trust you will serve me long."

Rainfeather looked around at the Clan. "Yes," she rasped finally. "I will." She cast Ashstar an annoyed look. She had never wanted to be deputy.

_I am a horrible choice, Ashstar. _She thought irritably. She had only been a warrior for a couple of days…but now she was deputy.

The thought thrilled her a little bit actually.

Rainfeather walked out of camp and entered the wolves' rocky territory.

She looked down into the camp.

Chaffinchfur was surrounded by wolves.

Rainfeather dashed into the camp with an angry yowl.

Lupin turned her gaze on the young deputy.

"I'll save you!" Chaffinchfur cried leaping up.

"I DON'T NEED YOU TO SAVE ME, SO GET OUT OF MY FUR!" Rainfeather spat with uncharacteristic fury.

She raked her claws down a tan wolves flank. "Run Chaffinchfur!" She yowled at him. He didn't move.

"I-I need to save you!" he said.

"Mousebrain!" Rainfeather spat at him. She barreled into his side, and he fell over.

"I'll fend them off! You run!" Chaffinchfur gasped.

"GET…OUT!" Rainfeather said with such force that Chaffinchfur looked shocked.

Suddenly a black wolf crept up behind him. His massive paw slashed down on Chaffinchfur's throat.

Chaffinchfur coughed and tried to stand up, but he couldn't.

"Goodbye Rainfeather," he whispered. "I love you."

"But I don't love _you._" Rainfeather snarled. "Because you are a mousebrain. I don't need you to save me, so get out of my fur and STAY OUT!"

Chaffinchfur's eyes glazed over in sadness and death. He stopped moving and was still.

Rainfeather stood up and streaked away like a flash of lightning. She stood in WindClan territory.

Chaffinchfur was dead. And Rainfeather didn't feel all that sad.

But the wolves were beginning to kill each other, and it wouldn't be long till Rainfeather went down too.

**Well! Who thinks Chaffinchfur is a dope? **


	10. Chapter 10

_**Chapter 9, more death**_

Rainfeather walked back to camp in silence. She was the deputy now. She couldn't go off with the wolves. The Clan needed her at camp.

"What were you doing?" Ashstar demanded when she walked into the camp.

"Chaffinchfur is dead. The wolves killed him."

Ashstar looked shocked. "You visit the wolves to much, Rainfeather," she said.

"I want to be prepared for any casualties," Rainfeather answered. She walked away before Ashstar asked anymore questions.

The Clan had found out about the wolves when Rainfeather told them how Onestar had died.

OoOoO

Rainfeather woke up the middle of the night. There was a strange wailing coming from the leaders den.

Rainfeather dashed over and jumped inside the den.

Ashstar toke one look at her and growled.

"It's me, Rainfeather, are you all right?" Rainfeather asked.

"A wolf!" Ashstar yowled.

"I'm not a wolf, Ashstar."

Ashstar sprang, but stumbled over a root. Her head crashed painfully onto the ground.

"Ashstar what is wrong with you!" Rainfeather yowled.

Ashstar slashed her claws in front of Rainfeather's face, missing her by a tooth-length.

There was a stirring in the shadows. A dark tortoiseshell she-cat moved beside Ashstar. Her flank had fresh claw-marks on it. It was Tortoisepelt.

Tortoisepelt's claws slashed in front of her face, but she missed, and a few smoky-black hairs floated to the ground.

Suddenly Ashstar leapt on Tortoisepelt. They fell on each other, snarling and yowling.

Ashstar leapt on Rainfeather again, but the smoky-black deputy jumped aside before Ashstar landed.

Another cat entered the den. It was Sharpfang, with a long stick in her mouth. She stabbed it hard into Tortoisepelt's flank, then Ashstar's.

Tortoisepelt shuddered and then died. Ashstar lost one life, and then another and another, on and on she lost lives.

"Sharpfang what are you doing!" Spat Rainfeather. She backed against the wall, trying to get away from the crazy cats.

Finally Ashstar shuddered and was still.

Sharpfang came up to Rainfeather. "Get away!" Rainfeather snarled, unsheathing her claws.

"Did she touch you?" Sharpfang demanded.

"No! But who cares? You killed the leader!"

"I had to. She was sick. She had to be killed. The disease spreads by touching."

Rainfeather sat there, letting it sink in. Ashstar was dead, she had to be killed. That meant that Rainfeather was…leader.

Oh.

"No!" Rainfeather rasped. "I am way too young. I'll make somebody take my place. I will not be leader."

"You can't change what is," Sharpfang said.

"But Ashstar shouldn't have chosen me. Her mind was crashing. She meant Crowfeather. I _know _she did. We look almost the same."

Rainfeather dashed out of the den. She gave Crowfeather a sharp prod in the stomach.

He sat up. "What?"

Rainfeather explained every thing that had happened in Ashstar's den so fast that Crowfeather looked a little confused at the end.

"So you want me to be leader? That's what Ashstar meant?"

"Yes!"

Crowfeather brightened. "I always hoped this would happen," he meowed, and left the den.

"Where are you going?" Sharpfang asked.

"To get my nine lives," Crowfeather answered and walked out before Sharpfang could say anything more.

OoOoO

Moonhowl patrolled the ShadowClan border alone for herbs.

Ravenpaw walked into the clearing. When he saw Moonhowl, he dashed over to her.

"Hello," Said Moonhowl.

"I'm a warrior! I'm Raven_shadow _now!"

"That's great," Moonhowl purred, rubbing her face against his. "And I'm Moonhowl."

Ravenshadow gave a purr of happiness and danced a few steps. He was sure excited. "Ravenshadow and Moonhowl," he said dreamily, "What a great pair."

He looked suddenly shocked when he realized what he had said. He took a few steps backward. "Sorry I meant…"

Moonhowl interrupted him. "I am not angry at you. I _do_ think we would make a great pair."

They both were very embarrassed by now.

"Any she-cat you're fond of?" Moonhowl asked, hoping it was just out of curiosity.

He shrugged. "Tortioseshelltail I guess," he meowed.

Moonhowl forced the hard lump of envy down her throat. "I thought that might happen," she mewed quietly. Too quietly.

"It's nothing," he meowed. "I don't love her. We're just friends."

"Maybe yes," meowed Moonhowl, "Or maybe no."

Ravenshadow shuffled his paws. "She is um…not my favorite she-cat. Well she is…Er…to bossy."

"Who is your favorite she-cat?" Moonhowl asked, even quieter then before.

Ravenshadow was for a very long time, "you," he whispered finally, and scampered over the border.

"Wait!" Moonhowl called.

"What?" he looked back.

They both stood on their own side of the border, staring at each other.

"Moonhowl," Ravenshadow whispered. "I love you,"

He ran through his territory so fast that he fell several times.

Moonhowl stayed in that position for a very long time, just staring over the border.

Her head was swimming with stars.

She walked back to camp with no herbs.

"There you are!" Skyflower exclaimed.

The last thing that Moonhowl remembered thinking that night was this.

_I am a medicine cat._

Oh.

**_R&R!_**


	11. Attack

**_Chapter 10, the attack _**

Lupin sat awake in the wolf camp. She was waiting for the right time. Tonight would be the big night. She swiped her tongue over her lips. Oh, she couldn't wait.

OoOoO

Rainfeather listened to the silent camp. Crowstar was sleeping, and Rainfeather was the new deputy.

There was a movement behind Rainfeather. She turned, it was only a shadow.

She stopped. Two red eyes were staring out at her from behind a bush.

OoOoO

Moonhowl woke in the middle of the night feeling uncomfortable. She loved Ravenshadow and wanted to be with him, but she couldn't, because they were in different Clans and she was a medicine cat.

Moonhowl got up and left the camp briskly, trotting over to the ShadowClan border.

She looked through the tight pine trees, hoping to catch sight of him…

Nothing.

Feeling discouraged, she turned away and headed back to the camp.

That's when she saw it. Two green eyes were staring right at her.

OoOoO

Crowstar suddenly walked out of his den. "Come, we are going to ThunderClan."

"Why?" Rainfeather asked.

"Just come,"

Crowstar went around and woke every cat in the Clan.

Rainfeather followed him out of the camp and into ThunderClan territory. She had no idea why Crowstar was taking the whole Clan. Why was he going to ThunderClan anyway?

WindClan ran down the slope and into camp. ThunderClan cats turned angrily.

Suddenly a huge white wolf lumbered into camp.

"Lupin!" Rainfeather cried in shock.

All around the camp came wolves. They thundered down the sides and leapt on the cats with yowls of anger.

Rainfeather leapt on a brown one. Its massive legs pulled her off.

Rainfeather slashed her claws over the muzzle of a grey one. He snarled and grabbed her by the scruff and threw her into the air.

Rainfeather twisted in its grasp and leapt onto its back, clawing and biting until it screeched and ran out of the camp.

A small white wolf whizzed past. Rainfeather stopped. It was Stone. She could never attack him! But suddenly he leapt on a grey wolf, his teeth sinking into its leg.

"Why are you on our side?" Rainfeather asked him.

He stared down at her, blood dripping from his forehead. "Because I love you," he barked, and sunk his teeth into a nearby wolf.

Rainfeather froze, and then turned around slowly. She hardly knew Stone! But still…

"I love you too!" she called over her shoulder.

She leaped on a wolf, clawing at its haunches. It bucked, throwing Rainfeather into a puddle of blood.

Sturdy teeth fastened into her hind leg, and lifted her up, high into the air. Rainfeather claws slashed blankly through fur. She yowled, kicking out with her hind legs until the brown wolf let go.

She looked around briefly at the battle. Firestar and Ashfur clung to one, scratching and biting till it had enough and moved on. Crowstar and Sorreltail both attacked one from a side. Rainwhisker was scratching the muzzle of one. But its teeth collided with his flank.

Rainfeather jumped up and dashed across the clearing, blood gushing out of her hind leg. Even a minor wound like that could kill her. What would happen to the cats who received worse injuries?

Rainwhisker looked at Rainfeather through glazed eyes. He stood up, and staggered across the clearing, dragging his hind legs. He collapsed again and his body was still.

"Great StarClan, no!" Rainfeather yowled, dashing over his body to attack a small grey wolf.

The grey wolf turned around with a snarl and its long blunt claws slashed her side and blood gushed out. (AN: I can't do the fight right if the wolves don't have claws.)

Rainfeather raked her claws over its broad chest. Blood from the wolf trickled down her paw.

The wolf sprang at her, its two front paws hitting her flank and knocking her down. The weight was so strong that Rainfeather almost felt her rib cage break. The wolf bit her shoulders, and his teeth clamped down hard.

Rainfeather twisted her head and sunk her teeth into the front leg of the wolf. It dashed up howling and Rainfeather was gone in a flash.

There was a yowl of fear. It broke the noise of the battle, louder then any hiss, growl, howl or bark coming from the battle of the animals. The sound was so strong it sent a talon of terror into every heart in the clearing.

The voice rose clear above the clatter of tooth and claw "StarClan help me!"

**Who do _you_ think it is? **


	12. She could only watch

_**Chapter 11, She could only watch**_

Moonhowl's head snapped up when she heard the yowl. She left Grasspaw, who had a wound on his leg and dashed across the clearing to the elders den.

"Skyflower!" she knew that voice by heart.

Skyflower lay in the elders den on her side, blood pouring from a long, deep gash on her shoulder.

"Skyflower wake up," she pleaded the medicine cat. "Wake up, please," tears trickled down her muzzle.

The medicine cat's eyes flew open, and they rested on a faraway object that Moonhowl could not see.

"StarClan help," she rasped, her sides heaved with effort.

"You'll be alright," Moonhowl meowed softly licking the wound clean. The blood did not stop coming.

"No," Skyflower whispered.

"You must come back! I need you! I am a terrible medicine cat! I love a cat from another Clan! What could be a worse crime than that?"

A shadow flickered in Skyflower's eyes. "Ravenshadow," she rasped. "I knew that would happen. Please don't be like Leafpool, Moonhowl. Don't have kits. It only brings disaster."

"But Rainfeather isn't so bad," Moonhowl whispered.

Pain flared in Skyflower's eyes. She struggled. "Don't have kits," she begged. "Don't!"

Moonhowl licked Skyflower's cheek. "I won't do that. I promise." She whispered. "Don't die."

"I must," Skyflower breathed, her voice scarcely audible. "Follow your heart, Moonhowl, do what you think is right."

"No…" Moonhowl began, but it was too late. A great breath of air left Skyflower's chest.

She could only watch. There was nothing for her to do for Skyflower. "Goodbye..." she whispered.

_How many more will die?_ She wondered, digging her claws into the wet moss.

**Sorry it was so short, I just had to make Skyflower die so Moonhowl will be full medicine cat. I want to right a sequel, but please give me a review saying if I should. This story seems very unpopular. PLEASE REVIEW! **


	13. Chapter 13

_**Chapter 12, Win or lose**_

Rainfeather turned around to see Lupin, her eyes glimmering with hatred.

"Oh! It's the little kitty who likes Stone, the traitor!"

Her long legs whirring, Lupin launched herself across the ground and smacked into Rainfeather, her long blunt claws slicing her face.

"Rainfeather whipped around and clawed at Lupin's muzzle. She leapt on the wolf's haunches but Lupin shook her off and dashed away.

A little ways away, Treepaw clung to the chest of a large tan wolf. Rainfeather watched as the wolf snapped his jaws at Treepaw till the older apprentice let go. Blood was flowing out of his neck where the wolf had bit.

He was absolutely still. Rainfeather stared in shock at her dead half-brother.

Flowermask, a warrior of WindClan, was flung high above the heads of many wolves. She landed in a clump of nettles and did not get up.

Owlfur and Firestar attacked a wolf from the side. It snapped at Firestar and its claws slashed over the flank of Owlfur. The brown warrior fell to the ground. He did not move.

Firestar clung desperately to the enemy. He went whirling around as the wolf twisted, but still he clung on.

Rainfeather sprang. She sailed over the heads of many wolfs and landed next to Firestar, forgetting the fights they had.

She raked her claws down its back. Firestar fastened his teeth in its thick tail.

The wolf's teeth scraped hard over Rainfeather's cheek and along her flank. He grabbed Firestar by the scruff and spun him around. Firestar flew against the rocks surrounding the camp. Rainfeather leapt off the wolf, which had enough and rushed out of the camp bellowing.

Rainfeather rushed over to Firestar. There was a deep chink right above his eye were he had collided with the rocks.

"StarClan…" he moaned. "Goodbye Rainfeather. I am old, and it is time to die. I accept that."

"Goodbye," meowed Rainfeather quietly. Firestar's eyes closed for the last time.

Rainfeather looked around the clearing. So many cats had died. Rainwhisker, Treepaw, Flowermask, Owlfur, Firestar, and she could see Thornclaw lying motionless a little ways away. The only way to win was to kill Star and Lupin, the pack leaders.

Rainfeather scanned the clearing to see the familiar white shape of Lupin.

Lupin was fighting against Cloudtail and Weedpaw, who was a ThunderClan apprentice and was limping badly.

Rainfeather sprinted across the clearing to the big white wolf.

She leaped onto her back and raked her claws down the flank. Cloudtail dashed past, scratching Lupin's muzzle and sprinting away before the big wolf could scratch him.

Weedpaw sprang onto her underbelly. He fastened his teeth in her chest and scratched her neck.

"Weedpaw, you moron!" Rainfeather cried jumping off Lupin's back and dashing over to Weedpaw.

Weedpaw still clung on. Lupin bent her head and grabbed him by the throat. He struggled for a moment then went completely limp.

"No!" Cloudtail yowled, dashing up to save his apprentice. Weedpaw let out a terrified wail.

Cloudtail jumped at Lupin, but she raised her head so that Cloudtail couldn't reach Weedpaw.

Lupin tossed Weedpaw into the air. He flew in a long ark and landed in a clump of daisies.

Cloudtail dashed over and nudged Weedpaw's broken body.

Finally he admitted defeat. He walked away from the dead apprentice. Soon he leapt on a small black wolf.

Lupin gave a satisfied chuckle.

"You have no hope against me," She hissed at Rainfeather.

Rainfeather looked at her long, muscular, legs, her strong, lean body and muscular shoulders. Lupin was right; she would be very hard to fight.

Rainfeather sprang up, and fastened her teeth into Lupin's throat. Lupin shook her head back and forth, and Rainfeather flew off and crashed headlong into the rocks.

Searing pain cut into her shoulder. She glanced at Lupin through bleary eyes. Blood was gushing out of her torn throat.

Rainfeather tried to stand up. Couldn't. Lupin walked over to her.

Rainfeather jumped up and fastened her teeth into Lupin's throat. She hung on.

"Stop!" Lupin wailed, crashing to the ground. Blood gushed out of her throat. "Stop..." Rainfeather let go. "What were you…?" Lupin never finished her question. Her legs stopped thrashing and she lay still.

The fight wasn't over. Star still had to be killed.

Rainfeather looked around. Wolves were still killing the cats. Where was Star? She couldn't find him.

Rainfeather dashed across the clearing, near Firestar's den. She leaped at a grey wolf with Weaselfur on her other side.

Rainfeather fastened her teeth in the scruff of the wolf. Weaselfur scratched at his chest. The wolf swung a paw around and knocked off Rainfeather. She fell to the ground; the wolf's claws had made deep furrows on her chest.

The wolf snapped at Weaselfur but couldn't grab the grey warrior. Soon the wolf grew frustrated and sprinted out of the clearing.

Rainfeather still lay on the ground, incredibly weak. She staggered to her paws, and her yellow eyes fixed on Firestar's den. Cats crowded around it.

Brambleclaw rushed past, dragging Star's body out of the den.

Rainfeather sprinted over. She looked deep in the den.

Almost completely hidden by shadows, half lying on his side, half crouching, blood pouring out of his flank, forehead, muzzle and hind leg, still as a rock, eyes starring at nothing, was Stone.

_**R&R! ** _


	14. The way it ended

_**Chapter 13, the way it ended**_

"Stone!" Rainfeather yowled. "Stone!"

She tried to rush foreword, but Brambleclaw held her back. "There is no use going in there, he's already dead," He meowed.

Rainfeather hissed at him. She glanced into the den. Stone made tiny movement. Brambleclaw released her.

Rainfeather got up slowly and walked over to the entrance, but she didn't go inside.

Stone staggered and stood up. On unsteady feet he walked over to Rainfeather.

"Stone…" Rainfeather began, but Stone interrupted.

His voice was low, and gravely, it was quiet and raspy. He didn't sound like himself at all.

"Rain…Feather. I will always…love you… no matter how far apart we…are."

Rainfeather's mouth moved a tiny bit, but she did not speak. Her eyes traveled over his entire body and back again. He stood, but suddenly his hind legs stopped and he crouched on the ground, his eyes looked at Rainfeather's face, they moved very shifty, then his eyes dropped to his paws.

"We must…protect others…They are more… important then us." Here he collapsed onto his side fully as he whispered, "Live… in...Peace."

His head fell down flat on its side, his eyes were closed, his paws out in front of him.

Rainfeather's mouth opened, and she tried to speak, but something hard had lodged itself in her throat. "Good…," she whispered hoarsely, and she fought back tears. "Bye…" she finished, her eyes were glued to Stone's flank.

"Rainfeather…" Owlfur whispered. His eyes were round with shock. The other cats were silent.

Wolfs began lumbering out of camp and into the forest when they saw there dead leaders. Cats chased after them, but Rainfeather didn't move. She still stared at Stone.

She whished she could feel victory that the wolves were defeated. But Stone was dead, and Rainfeather felt as if a part of her was gone too.

She stood up finally and walked out. She glanced back at the den, and then walked into the camp.

She went to the forest and kept walking.

The moon and stars looked down silently on the one black cat.

**_The end._**

**Who liked the story? Give me reviews, and if they are good I will write a sequel. The main character will be somebody else, but Rainfeather will have a big part in it. I _REALLY_ need reviews. **


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